Automatic mail signal for mail boxes



NOV. 5, 1968 DUFFEY 3,408,978

AUTOMATIC MAIL SIGNAL FOR MAIL BOXES Filed Jan. 15, 1968 INV ENTOR MURL A. DUFFEY BY QWM M ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,408,978 AUTOMATIC MAIL SIGNAL FOR MAIL BOXES Murl A. Dulfey, 1990 W. Garrison Road, RED. 1,

- Owosso, Mich. 48867 Filed Jan. 15, 1968, Ser. No. 698,040

3 Claims. (Cl. 116-132) ABSTRACT OF. DISCLOSURE This automatic mail signal for mail boxes consists of a bracket attached to the end door of a conventional mail box near the lower hinged edge thereof and provided near its lower end with a friction joint which pivotally and yieldably supports a signal structure including a signal arm and a signal plate. This signal structure normally is swung rearwardly away from the door hinges beneath the bottom wall of the mail box. When the postman swings the mail box door downward in order to insert mail, the signal structure is initially swung upward against the bottom wall of the mail box where it remains while the door continues to be swung downward. In this manner, the signal structure is swung approximately 90 degrees from a position perpendicular to its bracket and the mail box into a position approximately aligned with the door, depending upon how far downward the door is swung by the postman. When the postman swings the door upward to close it, the friction joint automatically swings the signal structure downward into the position of FIGURE 1, where by its lowered position it notifies the owner that the mail box has been opened, presumably to insert mail. Upon removing the mail, the owner closes the door and manually pushes the signal structure upward beneath the mail box around its friction joint with the bracket, readying it for signalling the next insertion of mail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a conventional mail box equipped with an automatic mail signal, according to one form of the invention, with the signal structure in its lowered position indicating the presence of mail;

FIGURE 2 is a front end elevation of the mail box of FIGURE 1, with the signal structure pushed upward beneath the mail box at right angles to its signalling position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mail box and signal structure shown in FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevation similar to FIGURE 3 but with the mail box door being swung open while the signal structure remains stationary against the bottom of the mail box.

Referring to the drawing in detail, FIGURES 1 to 4 inclusive show a conventional mail box, generally designated 10, equipped with an automatic swinging mail signal, generally designated 13, according to one form of the invention. The mail box is of a standard type mounted on the usual post 11 and having the usual combined upper and side wall 14 of U-shaped cross-section closed by a bottom wall 16, a fixed rearward end wall 18 and a movable front door 20 pivoted at its lower edge 22 by hinges 23 to the bottom wall 16. Secured as by fasteners 24 t0 the top of the door 20 is a spring clip or detent 26 which normally holds the door 20 in its closed position by resiliently engaging the front edge 28 of the U-shaped wall 14 at the top thereof.

The automatic mail signal 12 includes a bracket or mail signal support 30 secured as by fasteners 32 to the door 20 of the mail box 10 near the hinged lower edge 22 thereof. The lower end 34 of the bracket 30 projects downward below the lower edge 22 of the mail box door 20 and is twisted at right angles to its upper attachment portion 36 3,408,978 Patented Nov. 5, 1968 to receive a yieldable friction joint 38'which securesto the lower end 34 the twisted upper. or forward end 40.0fm signal arm 42. The rearward orlowerattachment portion 44 of the signal arm 42 is twisted at right-"angles to the forward portion 40 thereof (FIGURE 3.).S ecured as-by fasteners 46 to therearward portion 44 .of the signal arm 42 is a signal plate 48 which with=the:Signalarm'42constitutes a signal structure 50. The signal plate 48 maybe of any suitable shape, the rectangularshape shown..'in FIGURE 1 being preferred because ofits excellent visibility when viewed from a distance. To enhance .this visibility, the signal plate 48 is preferably painted red.

The friction joint or yieldable joint 38 (FIGURE 2) conveniently consists of a pivot fastenerior screw 52 which passes through the drilled lower end portion 34 of the bracket 30 and carries a nut 54 on its threaded opposite end. The nut 54 compresses a friction washer 56 against the lower end portion 34 of the bracket 30 and the end portion 40 of the signal arm 42 between the friction washer 54 and the head of the screw 50. Thus, by tightening the screw 52 and the nut 54 relatively tovone another, the frictional force exerted by the friction washer 56 can be precisely adjusted.

In the operation of the invention, the user, after opening the door 20 to see whether any mail has been .placed therein, closes the door 20 by swinging it upward around its hinges 23 until its spring clip or detent 26 snaps over the top of the front edge 28 of the mail box wall 14. He then pushes the signal structure 50 consistingof the signal plate 48 and arm 42 upward and rearward into the position shown in FIGURE 3, either parallel to the bottom wall 16 of the mail box or inclined upward thereagainst as in FIGURE 4. The mail box mail signal 12 is set in a position ready to signal when mail has been placed therein.

When the postmanopens the door 20 by swinging it downward around its hinges 23 to place mail therein (F IG- URE 4), the signal structure 50, consisting of the signal plate 48 and its arm 42, remains stationary against the lower wall 16 of the mail box 10 while the door'20 is being swung downward into an approximately horizontal position indicated by the dotted line in FIGURE 4. This action causes the door 20 to move from a position approximately perpendicular to the arm 42 and signal structure 50 into a position substantially aligned therewith (FIG- URE 4) as the friction joint 38 yields to permit this.

After inserting mail, the postman closes the mailbox door 20 by swinging it upward into the position shown in FIGURE 1. This upward swinging of the mail box door 20 from its lowered position of FIGURE 4 to its raised position of FIGURE 1 around the hinges 23 as a pivot axis swings the signal srtutcure 50 consisting of the signal arm 42 and signal plate 48 downward into the vertical position of FIGURE 1, urged by the frictional holding or gripping effect of the friction joint 38. As a result, when the owner of the mail box 10 looks out at his mail box and sees the signal 48 of the signal structure 50 in its lowered position of FIGURE 1, he is thereby notified that the mail box door 20 has been opened, presumably by the postman to insert mail, and that mail is probably awaiting him therein. After removing the mail and closing the door 20, he then resets the automatic mail signal 12 by again pushing the signal structure 50 upward and rearward near or against the bottoIrLwall 16 of the mail box 10 around the friction joint 38 as a pivot (FIGURE 3).

I claim:

1. An automatic signal device adapted for attachment to a mail box, said box having a bottom wall and a bottomhinged end door, said mail box signal device comprising, a signal support bracket, secured at one end to a lower. exterior portion of said door, a signal arm, a yieldable pivot joint connecting said bracket and one end of said arm, friction means 'operatively associated'with said pivot joint between said bracket and said arm, the axis of said pivot joint being disposed parallel to the axis of the end door hinge, whereby said signal member can be positioned beneath said bottom wall when in its non-indicating position and moved to a vertical downwardly directed indicating position by the opening and closing operation of said door when depositing mail in said box.

2. An automatic mail signal, according to claim 1, wherein said bracket has a twisted end portion adjacent said yieldable joint and wherein said signal arm also includes a twisted end portion adjacent said yieldable joint in parallel relationship with said twisted end portion of said bracket.

3.'An automatic mail signal, according to claim 1, wherein said signal member includes a plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner. 

